Is Induction Barrel Heating better?

Our testing on Smart Energy System has shown that it is not only much more efficient but also much more responsive.

The barrel heating system uses electromagnetic induction – a well-known principle used to heat large industrial furnaces, special machines for injection molding molten metal, thermoset molds and some Japanese hot-runner nozzles. However, it is a new concept for heating barrels of extruders. The system, introduced by Bausano, turns the steel barrel itself into a resistance heater by generating electrical eddy currents in the metal near the outer surface of the barrel tube. Those eddy currents are induced by electrical current passing through a cable wrapped in a continuous coil around the barrel but not touching it.

Although the initial cost is more than heater bands, an induction heating system pays for itself in several ways, depending on machine size.

Our measurements indicate that the heating efficiency of a ceramic band heater may be 10–15% higher. The remaining energy is wasted by radiation and convection to the surrounding environment. In contrast, induction heating radiation losses are minimized by the insulating sleeves, which rise to a temperature of around 60–70°C during operation.